


On the Table

by Felidominus



Category: Toaru Kagaku no Railgun | A Certain Scientific Railgun
Genre: F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-07
Updated: 2014-10-24
Packaged: 2018-02-12 05:57:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,458
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2098212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Felidominus/pseuds/Felidominus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A certain scientific account into Kuroko finally explaining to Misaka exactly what she should have been doing in the first place.</p><p>Continuity note: This is a what if story which takes place after Misaka discovers the conspiracy of the sisters but before the encounter with Touma on the bridge and the subsequent battle.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Kuroko woke up suddenly, bolting upwards in her bed and gazing at the alarm clock she'd placed at the foot of the bed. "3 am. Too early." she muttered under her breath before glancing over towards her roommate's bed. The sheets were still pristinely folded over the western style pillow and Mikoto was nowhere to be found. Again. "This makes four days this week, what is she doing?"

Halfway across Academy City, Mikoto leaned against a light post and caught her breath. "Why does he run?" she asked the darkness around her. "If only he... talked to me." Small jolts of lightning sparked off her, her mood darker than she intended and her anger roused by her seemingly nightly encounter with the boy she held a crush on. "It isn't like I'm trying to kill him. Well, not really." She thinks back on that encounter on the big bridge and sighs. "Maybe it really is my fault."

Back in their dorm room, Kuroko was awake still and moving quietly through the empty room. She'd moved from the bed to her wardrobe and selected some special clothes. A small sigh escaped her lips as she chose rather mundane underclothes instead of the special ones she liked to flash at her roommate. "So boring," she muttered. "Who am I? Onee-sama? This is her style." She gazed at the strips of cloth in her hands, white with ribbons on the bottoms, lace accenting the small cups of her bra. "Maybe if I was built more like Mii-senpai, Mikoto-senpai would notice me." she told the empty room.

Sticking to the alleyways like a cat, maybe more like a catburglar, her roommate was quickly heading to their dorm room after making a detour to change clothes at the inexpensive hotel she kept a room at for that purpose. The uniform she wore was too well known for her nightly crusade against the powers that be of Academy City, so she changed out of them, paying a small fee to the maids at the hotel for laundry service, and to stay quiet about her escapades. "Sometimes I feel like the bad guy in all this." she admitted to the darkness. "I wish... I dearly wish... I had someone I could talk to about this. But if I went to Kuroko, how would she react? She's part of Judgement. Same with Uiharu-chan. And making Ruiko-chan keep this secret would be unfair. This is my burden." She continued walking until she saw a girl standing under a lamp post, waiting with a tapping foot.

"Good evening, Onee-sama." the twin-tailed girl greeted her. "I don't expect you to explain what you were doing out after curfew, but I'll help you inside." The girl's smile betrays the tone of her words. The pleasure of seeing the senpai she admired overcoming her annoyance at the girl. "We need to talk." she says softly before grabbing her upperclassman's hand and without missing a breath teleporting them off into the night.

Six bamfs later, the pair stood in front of the destination that Kuroko had chosen. The locale was not the dorm room they shared, but a fair distance away. The twin-tailed teleporter led her friend through the doors of a restaurant and nodded at the girl manning the hostess stand. "A table for six, please, in the corner." she said unexpectedly.

"Yes, mistress, right this way." the girl said formally and grabbed a pair of menus and led them through the restaurant. No other patrons were nearby and the booth gave them plenty of privacy.

"This is one of the places Judgement uses for," she coughs slightly, "meetings."

"Ah, so that was code?" Mikoto says, coming to understand the strange conversation.

"Yes, and don't abuse it. I like this place." Kuroko says, knowing her senpai had a way to make use of any bits of knowledge she gleaned from her friends. "It has a great farfalle with a delicious mushroom sauce."

Mikoto's stomach rumbles at the suggestion of food. "Maybe I'll try that."

"Such a grown-up choice, Onee-sama," Mikoto's underclassman says. "Let's make it two, I'm feeling kinda hungry now and just expended a good bit of energy."

A waitress comes over to serve them, dressed in that fake maid sort of uniform that is popular with a certain segment of the population of Tokyo, and politely took their order which had been written on a slip of paper. "One of the other quirks of this restaurant, we don't speak to anyone but the hostess and they destroy the evidence we were here when we leave. It affords a nice place to have a chat." Kuroko explained. "So, here we are, are you ready to have a chat, Mikoto?"

Mikoto fidgets in her seat. Something inside her panics at the sound of her own name coming from the brunette next to her rather than the typical "onee-sama" which she has become accustomed to hearing. Noticing that Kuroko was waiting for her response, she shrugged. "I knew this would happen someday, I know we've been dancing around this for a long time."

"Yes, Mikoto, we have. And I want you to know how I feel, honestly and openly, about you and everything that has happened to us because, despite your best attempts, what you have been doing has had an impact on me and I want you to understand me better." the brunette pauses, gathering her nerve as well as her breath, "I am and have been in love with you. I know you may not feel the same way about me, Mikoto, but I want you to know first off how I feel for you and how I'd like to be by your side forever." Kuroko pauses, the relief visible on her face, "I've wanted to say that to you for a long time. But, deep inside, I've been afraid to show you my feelings in a serious way. Rather, I've been a fool towards you, playing a clown and trying to show my love for you in ways that even I understand are shocking. Yes, I long for you physically, but it is more than that, dearest Mikoto, I long to be your love and your wife. Yes, I want to feel your body and experience the pleasure of making love with you, but more than that I want to always be by your side."

"I... I don't know how I feel about that, Kuroko," Mikoto admits, "Some of the things you have done to me and shown me have been very, how do I put it, educational? It wasn't just shocking! It made me look them up on the internet and find out what exactly you do with them. You know how weird that felt?"

"I never intended to make you feel weird, Onee-sama, I just wanted you to notice me." Kuroko says, "but I'm not sure you ever would unless I took this step. I've been here for you in all your times of need. You don't know how many nights I've cried myself to sleep when you haven't been there. The days you're there, I take such comfort just hearing you breathe across the room. And, recently, I've been the one to patch you up, to tend your wounds, to soothe the pain you're in. I don't even know WHY you're getting so hurt and it hurts me that you won't let me in. It hurts so much, my love. Every night when you aren't home, I wonder if this is the last time I will see you. If the news the next day will be about how you were killed somewhere alone and in the dark by god only knows who."

"I... cry... too Kuroko. You don't know... You don't understand what has happened. What has been done! What I have done! You don't get it." Mikoto nearly screams at her best friend.

"Because you don't let me. I want to know. We both know I have certain obligations to Judgement, but for you I will leave Judgement. I believe in you. I love you, damnit, I want you to rely on me." Kuroko realizes she is crying. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to be a bitch about this, but Onee-sama, and it isn't fair for you to go off and fight and leave me at home to worry about you like this. I'm the one staying home like a wife watching her husband go off to war. This is killing me, Onee-sama. Please.... somehow, can you please let me in? I am begging you here, I know I can't stop you but I can ask. Please Mikoto, please."

"I never thought of it like that, Kuroko," Mikoto responds, "and I do love you. Do I love you like a lover? I'm not sure. I'm not sure about a lot of things lately. I want to be sure though." Mikoto glances up at the clock on the wall. "We don't have enough time tonight to get into this, can we meet again after school?"

"I have been right here waiting for you to ask, Onee-sama," Kuroko says as she moves closer to the other girl. "Now, our food is getting cold. Let's eat and go home. Together."

Kuroko brought the couple home in a sequence of short teleports. Mikoto realized that this was draining to her as she witnessed the younger girl's breathing become erratic and she felt guilty about causing her to use her power to simply bring them home, but it was better to avoid the prying eyes of the city to use Kuroko's power to travel then allow the ever-present security cameras watch them travel the surface streets. Even following her own paths would be dangerous at that hour as a girl clad in her school uniform in the dead of night would bring attention from undesirables unless they traveled the clandestine paths she had chosen when she embarked on her private war with the dark side of the city.

They arrived in their room and Kuroko collapsed onto her own bed. The younger girl rolled over as Mikoto removed and hung her uniform up carefully, her eyes lingering on the curves of Mikoto's body. "You are so beautiful." she whispered.

"Thanks," Mikoto says honestly, "I know how you feel about me and I know I should be chastising you for your lewd glances, but I'm too tired right now. So... enjoy yourself, I can't stop you."

"If you were honest, you'd admit you like being looked at Onee-sama." the teleporter accused. "And I do enjoy looking. I have come to terms with my preferences, I wish you would."

"I'm not gay." Mikoto replies. "There is a boy..." she blushes realizing she's saying this out loud, "there is a boy who I find interesting."

"Do you find him interesting? Or do you find him attractive?" Kuroko asks.

"A bit of both." Mikoto admits. "I'll admit he has a side to him I find makes me think of him fondly. And my body is attracted to him."

"Are you attracted to me?" Kuroko asks.

Mikoto thinks for a moment gazing at the girl laying on her bed. "Yes, I am."

"That makes me happy." Kuroko says. "I think you're amazingly sexy."

"I kinda noticed." Mikoto says laughing. "You made it obvious, you know."

"You forced me to. No matter what I tried, no matter how much I wished for you to notice me, you didn't senpai."

"It wasn't that I didn't notice, Kuroko, it was that I didn't know how to respond. It confused me." the short-haired electromaster said. "I have never had a girl say, act, or flirt with me like you did. You were the first. And then you came on so strong. How was I supposed to react? You wanted to use THOSE things on me! You wanted to force me to do... THOSE things."

"Not really. Well, I do want to play with you using the toys, but... I'm ok taking it slow." Kuroko admits, carefully removing her bra without taking off the shirt she wore before doing a cute wiggle until she was buried under her covers. "I bought them, but even I am nervous about using them."

"Well, that's good to know. Let's talk about this more tomorrow, okay? It's late and we're going to have trouble making it through the day regardless. I'm beat. I've been busy."

"I know, you were off doing your Spider-man shit," Kuroko says playfully.

"I don't think I'm some sort of heroman comic hero. Well, not the kind you see in the movies at least." Mikoto responds. "Just remember, I'm still the same Mikoto you've always known, I've just gotten into a mess. A real mess. And, I guess, you're forcing me to ask you for help. And, honestly, I'm glad, I am scared and I don't really know what to do. It would be nice to have some advice."

"Oh, Onee-sama." the teleporter squeals as she bamfs into the older girl's bed. "I am so happy."

"I'd kick you out of my bed, but I'm tired. Please, let's just sleep." Mikoto says.

Kuroko smiles happily then snuggles against the other girl. "Your wish is my command, Princess."

Mikoto glares at her then pulls her tight into an embrace. "Good night. I'm just gonna pretend you're Gekota."

"Whatever makes you happy is okay" Kuroko teases rubbing against her roommate. "Good night."

Mikoto woke up to the alarm blaring from across the room. The warmth from Kuroko's body pressed against her was unusual but not unwelcome. Each breath that she took blew soft warmth across the nape of her neck and caused small sparks to run through her body. _"Maybe I really do like her that way?"_ she thought to herself, gazing at the younger girl's sleeping face.

"Onee-sama," her junior muttered softly in her sleep in a way that Mikoto admitted was very cute.

"It's time to wake up, Kuroko," she said softly to the still sleeping form cuddled against her.

"Haaa? Onee-sama?" Kuroko says waking, stretching, and blinking her eyes. "Am I dreaming?"

"No, we slept together last night, remember?" Mikoto said.

"Oh, right..." the young woman said, "Good morning Onee-sama."

"Good morning Kuroko," Mikoto says stifling a giggle. "We have to get ready for class or the dorm mistress will come and we'll have a lot of explaining to do."

The nightmarish image of the dorm's manager was enough to frighten children but even worse in reality. She was a strict, formidable woman with a stern demeanor who showed no fear even when dealing with one of the few Level 5s in Academy City.

The young girl nods, then bamfs across the room to her wardrobe. "Whatcha waiting for? We're gonna be late!"

Mikoto can't hold back at this point, laughing as she slides out from under the covers then stands up displaying a slight amount of unsteadiness on her legs as Kuroko had cut off the blood supply and despite her feeling awake her extremities weren't quite on the ball yet.

"Are you ok?" Kuroko says, noticing that Mikoto had sort of stumbled taking those first couple of steps towards the still blaring alarm clock.

"Yeah, just not used to having someone draped over me when I awaken yet." Mikoto says.

"Yet?" Kuroko says raising an eyebrow. "Does that mean last night wasn't a one-time deal?"

Mikoto walks over, after stopping the alarm, and kisses Kuroko's forehead. "Maybe, maybe not. I'm not sure. I'm just coming to realize that maybe I've been taking you too much for granted, Kuroko."

Kuroko raises a hand to her forehead in shock. "Am I dreaming?"

Mikoto laughs. "Maybe. Do you want me to stop?"

"Never." Kuroko responds. "Never ever ever. Please, Mikoto, love me deeper."


	2. Chapter 2

The sound of rushed footsteps outside their door causes the two to part and quickly dress. Mikoto's face is flush with embarrassment as she changes from her pajamas into her school uniform, she gazes over at her roommate changing at her wardrobe across the room. The thoughts of the conversations she had this morning weigh heavily on her mind. The fear of opening up and revealing the dark side of Academy City to her friend who hasn't yet been shown the darkness of the world they live in nearly immobilizes her but she fumbles her way through dressing. The two girls meet at the sinks in their private bath and brush their teeth in near silence. Almost in unison they check their hair, Kuroko pulling hers back into her trademark twin ponytail style and Mikoto simply making sure her short hair isn't standing up in funny places. The scent of Kuroko's light perfume hits Mikoto's nose, causing her to gaze at her in the mirror.

"Are you ready, Onee-sama?" Kuroko asks and Mikoto nods. They gather their school bags and Kuroko bamfs them across the campus.

The surreal effect of teleportation causes Mikoto to become dizzy after the repeated jump Kuroko uses to avoid startling their classmates too much. Mikoto laughs lightly as they come to the entrance of the main schoolhouse and their hands separate. "I'll see you after school, meet me here?" Mikoto asks her junior who nods. Her eyes follow the bob of her twintails as she rushes off to switch shoes and go to class. Mikoto wonders why her hand feels so cold without the warmth of Kuroko's wrapped around it.

Class starts and Mikoto pays half attention, the night before, the conversation she had with her roommate, the night they spent cuddled together, the kiss she laid on Kuroko's forehead all causing her to lose focus and she gazed around the class looking for someone whose notes she can borrow. The class rep was way out, she already owed her too many favors, but her eyes fell on another electromaster who she could trade some tips with for the favor of copying her notes. She wondered about her classmates, trying to put names to faces and realizing that in too many cases she couldn't. "What am I doing?" she mumbled causing the teacher to send her a sharp gaze. Her thoughts were then filled with one thought: _"Who beyond Kuroko do I really know in this school? Who do I call 'friend' and why do I think so many of them are my enemy? Why, when I'm surrounded by so many, do I really have so few connections? Why am I so strong but at the same time alone?"_

The final bell rang and Kuroko gazed up at the clock. The plain black and white clock read five minutes past three. The afternoon had been easier than the morning for the middle school student, the large lunch she had eaten on the roof of the dorm, perched on the ridge of the roof which plunged steeply down to the gutters far below her. She was safe, of course, her teleportation power would easily transport her to safety if she slipped and fell, but even still she risked getting a stern warning from the disciplinary committee of the school if she was caught. Today, she felt, it was worth the risk. Her mind was filled with thoughts of Mikoto, not the sort that she typically had, not fantasies or daydreams, but real hard thoughts. As she'd thought of the problems in their relationship, her lunch filled her stomach and she had bamfed back to class on time. Now, hours later, her mind was filled with anxiety as she prepared for her date with her roommate.

On the floor above the one Kuroko's classroom was situated, Mikoto sat at her desk unmoving. She knew she needed to get up, get changed and go meet with Kuroko, but deep inside she was afraid. Kuroko was her friend, her roommate and closer to her than anyone had ever been before in her life. There was something so cute about her that even as she fought back against the blunt advances had been drawn toward her. Something that caused her to burn in ways that she'd never felt in places she couldn't properly explain in words. There was a desire to surrender to her advances that Mikoto never felt toward anyone, not even the boy she fought with so often. Sure, Mikoto had felt pangs of attraction, something akin to friendship in their rivalry and admittedly appreciated his courage. Touma was someone special to her, but she didn't feel the same way about him that she felt for Kuroko. As much as she hated to admit it, Kuroko was special to her, was attractive to her and she wanted her in ways she had never really understood before the night before's discussion.

And Mikoto knew that she was at fault for all the tears that she'd caused Kuroko to cry.

Mikoto sighs as she makes her way across campus. Her fellow students mill about, heading to club or off campus to spend time with their friends. Her loneliness pings at her heart as cold as a dagger. She shakes her head to banish the feelings that have been haunting her all day, the dark mood which has thrown her into a spiral of negativity. As she arrives at the dorm, she spots Kuroko heading out the doors.

"Onee-sama!" the younger student says, eyes glinting in the sun. "I missed you."

Mikoto smiles and laughs. "Hi Kuroko, I need to change and get some things, can you wait for me?"

"Sure, I can come help you change if you like," Kuroko flirts.

"I... I can change myself!" Mikoto says blushing.

Kuroko moves in closer. "I was only joking." she says.

"So... so... so close!" Mikoto stammers. "Too close!"

Kuroko laughs. "This is fun."

Kuroko continues teasing Mikoto up the stairs and down the hall to their room where she takes a seat on her bed. "Sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable," she apologizes. "As much fun playing with you is, I can stop if you feel weird about it."

"That's just it Kuroko, I don't know how I feel. I like you. I like you a lot. I may love you. You're my best friend. Hell, Kuroko, you're my ONLY friend at Tokiwadai. You're special to me. Does that mean I love you? I know I trust you, I know I respect you, I know I am torn up inside cause I caused you to cry over me. I admire you deeply. Does this equal love? What is love? Do these feelings I have mean I'm in love with you? And if so, what do we do?"

Mikoto notices she has been crying while talking and moves to wipe away her tears, but Kuroko gets there sooner. In a strange twist of fate, she seems to be larger than Mikoto as she wraps her arms around her friend, her beloved friend. "I love you so much, it hurts me to see you cry." She takes a half step back. "You asked me what we do next? I don't have the right answer for that, but I think this is a good answer." She moves againt to embrace her friend, her arms reaching up her back, her face level with Mikoto's. Her head tilts and her lips touch those of Mikoto. Shivers fly down her spine, but not from Mikoto's power. The simple peck she intended turns into something more as Mikoto's arms embrace her and she returns her kiss.

They part, eyes locked on each other as they blush. "Did we really?" Mikoto asks.

"Yep," Kuroko replies.

"Wow." Mikoto says.

"You said it." Kuroko says giggling.

"Can we do it again?"

Kuroko nearly falls over in shock. The girl who'd been so bullheaded in her rebuttals of her advances is standing there, panting, blushing at her and asking for more kisses. She thinks for a minute. "Yes, but...." she begins to say more but the words are blocked by the mouth of her roommate pressing against her own. The word 'hungry' comes to mind as the older girl clumsily kisses her. Kuroko's eyes close and she gives into the passion of the girl she's loved for so long.

Mikoto leads Kuroko over to the bed, then pulls her down on the bed where the kisses become something more. Fingers find flesh, sliding first under Kuroko's skirt the back out, drawing her shirt out with them as they move up her abdomen. Releasing the shirt tails she runs her splayed fingers over the soft flesh of her roommate's stomach. "Oh Kuroko..." she breathes, "I want... more..."

"I want to give you more.... but we had plans, Mikoto." Kuroko says, fighting off her own lust. "We need to be open with each other if we're going to be intimate, my darling."

Mikoto sighs then kisses Kuroko's lips one more time before rising off the bed. "I... understand. I don't want to stop... but we need to have this talk."

Kuroko rises from the bed and crosses the room. Fighting off the urge to peek at her roommate, her beloved onee-sama, she changes clothes tossing her uniform aside and dressing in casual wear.

The walk from the dorm to the same restaurant that Kuroko had taken Mikoto to the night before was silent.

Mikoto tried to break the silence a couple of times, causing her face to flush and her heartbeat to rise. The memory of Kuroko being in her arms, Kuroko's lips on her own and the heat of her body still lingering as a pleasant memory on her fingers. Truth be told, she was disappointed that Kuroko had broken off their tryst in their bedroom despite her worries about what it meant for the relationship between the two of them. She knew what she had wanted and blushed scarlet at the street corner at the thought.

Kuroko, on the other hand, was feeling smug. Her beloved Onee-sama had finally returned her desire and surprisingly been forward in her canceled attempt at exploring the younger girl's body. Kuroko had completely enjoyed the feeling of Mikoto's exploration of those parts of her body which had, prior to this day, been untouched by her senpai. She fought the urge to skip with delight as they turned the corner and walked to the restaurant which would afford them the privacy from prying eyes to discuss whatever it was that was causing Mikoto to come home late and injured.

The pair cross the threshold of the restaurant and using the passcode are seated quickly in the same booth they had had the night before. The soft cushions and familiar atmosphere reminds Mikoto of that night, the trigger for the events that happened less than an hour earlier. As if on queue Kuroko finally spoke, "So Mikoto-onee-sama, please tell me what this is all about?"

Mikoto gulped and frowned. Her given name sounded so unusual coming from the mouth of her junior, her delectably cute junior seated so close to her. "This will take a while, so let's start at the beginning."

"I wouldn't have it any other way Onee-sama." the twin-tailed girl responded as the waitress brought them a pitcher of iced tea and left menus with the slips of paper used for ordering. Privacy was at a premium in Academy City and this restaurant did an amazing job of keeping everything outside of the eyes of those who'd like to snoop.

Mikoto draws a deep breath. "This all began a few years ago, when I was a child. I was taken to a hospital for some tests as my power came onto me early and they wanted to nurture it. I guess that was a good idea in hindsight, but it wasn't fun back then. Sure the nurses and doctors were nice and stuff, but I'd rather have been at home playing with dolls and watching cartoons than being hooked up to weird machines while I caused sparks to come off my fingers." She sighs. "Even then, I just wanted to be a normal girl, but one day they walked me through the halls and I saw a huge room filled with other kids. I waved at them and they weakly responded and I was upset by the sight. The doctors explained to me that they were victims of disease and were suffering due to it." She takes a drink of her tea. "They told me that I could help them if I agreed to it. They wanted to use my genome map and try to make a cure for the disease that was causing their muscles not to respond to the electricity that runs our bodies."

"That's... an interesting idea." Kuroko replies. "It probably could work if they could cause your power to augment their own somehow."

"Yeah, I think so too. I agreed to their request. Helping kids was a good thing and I wanted to be a hero. I still do, really, but I'm... I'm no hero Kuroko."

Kuroko takes Mikoto's hand in her own and leans against her. "You'll always be my hero, Onee-sama." she whispers breathily into her ear. "You saved me so many times."

Mikoto blushes and flushes at the words from her roommate and the sensation of her breathing on her ear. "Well, maybe. I don't think you've ever been in such trouble that you couldn't have found a solution on your own. I simply helped. You are strong, Kuroko. You are so much stronger than me in ways. But, lets get back on track, I gave them my genome willingly. They said it would help heal all those poor kids. I was so proud that somehow I could be a hero to all those children and they'd never know it." Mikoto tears up. "They lied to me. They took my genome and... well... they are doing something unthinkable with it."

Mikoto pauses. She breathes for a minute and Kuroko notices that there are tears in her eyes.

"Mikoto, do you need a break? I know I'm pressuring you to talk about this, but watching you is hurting me. I feel like I've done something terrible to you." Kuroko admits, trying to comfort her best friend, her perhaps lover, "I feel like the bad guy here."

Mikoto shakes her head. "No, Kuroko, you can't be the bad guy. I know what a bad guy does and you don't have that in you. That... that is why I never wanted you to know this. This... nightmare I'm living." Kuroko's hand grips her own, her fingers sliding between Mikoto's and grasping her.

"We're living it together. I'm by your side. No matter the enemy, we can defeat it together." Kuroko declares.

"Can we? When Uiharu was kidnapped by that crazy woman who was using level 0s to do her dirty work we were lucky. I'm afraid Kuroko. I am afraid that going against this will be the death of me. The death of you. Uiharu-chan and Saten-chan are in danger too. And you know what? It's because of me." Mikoto discloses. "We're all in danger and its my fault. I didn't ask for this... I wanted to help people." The tears start rolling down her face.

Kuroko reaches up and wipes them away. "There is nothing wrong with wanting to help people, rather had you not wanted to help them when you knew there was a chance you could. If you didn't want to help, then you'd be a monster." Kuroko pronounces. "But you care. You care about people, about me, about our friends, even about that boy you have been playing with... I know what's inside you, Onee-sama, I've been watching you for so long."


	3. Chapter 3

Kuroko's words hung in Mikoto's head. _"I know what's inside you, Onee-sama, I've been watching you for so long."_ She knew this was true. It seemed like every time she turned around Kuroko was right there reaching out to her. Of all the words spoken at this table, maybe these hurt her the worst. All along, Kuroko had been there, waiting for her to trust the teleporter. It wasn't just fear that had stopped Mikoto from bring these files to her before, it was something more. Deep inside, Mikoto hadn't trusted her and the knowledge of this was killing her.

"Onee-sama?" the twin-tailed brunette whispered. "Are you okay?"

"I'm not okay," Mikoto replied. "I've not been okay for a long time. Why couldn't I see it? Why couldn't I see you?"

"We all have blind spots, Mikoto," Kuroko said in her soft voice, "I was stuck in yours. I'm not anymore and I'm glad you have realized this... I love you so much and was banging on the walls of the cage you'd put me in but no matter how... I tried... you didn't see me. You felt my fingers, my lips and my tongue, but nothing I did to show you affection got through and I tried so hard."

"Well, now that we're here, I'd better tell you the worst of it," Mikoto says. "You know that rumor that Saten-chan spoke of? The one about doubles? She was partially right. They have taken my genome and cloned me. Not once or twice... there were twenty thousand clones."

"Twenty thousand... onee-sama?" Kuroko says with a bit of drool on her lip. "I mean... why? I... you... maybe two.. or three... but twenty thousand?"

"I think I'm going to ignore what you'd do with three of me... for now..." Mikoto says with a glint in her eye, "but yes, they cloned me twenty thousand times. For an experiment, of course, this is Academy City after all."

"What kind of experiment takes twenty thousand level 5s?" Kuroko asks.

"That's the thing, they weren't able to clone them to level 5," Mikoto says, "but they have a lot of them. Or rather, they had a lot of them."

"Had?" Kuroko asks. "I don't like the sound of that. What did they invade somewhere?"

"Not... exactly." Mikoto says, opening up a dog-eared document. "They did this..." she hands the document to Kuroko, fighting off tears again. "This is what I've stumbled upon."

Kuroko reads slowly. The details of the experiment become clear and she puts it down. "So, they made all these clones... just to have them murdered?"

"Well, yes and no. They have been dying. Sometimes alone, sometimes in groups from what I have been able to find out. But mostly, they run a route and he finds them and kills them. Spectacularly," Mikoto says sighing. "I have... stumbled upon one of the scenes. It's gruesome."

"I have to admit, I'm kind of happy you arrived after the fact," Kuroko says, "I wouldn't have wanted him to mistakenly attack you."

Mikoto shivers. "I've thought about it. I really have. But.. as much as my heart aches, I'm not ready to die yet, Kuroko. My... ability... is strong but he is on a different level. They want to make him Level 6. I'm not sure he isn't already," she admits. "I... can't die. Not yet. Not cause I've been stupid, but if I die against him, how does that stop anything? I just become another notch in his belt. Another woman slain. Another victim. I am not a victim."

"I know you don't want to involve us, but we are your friends. We are already involved Mikoto, and we want to help you," Kuroko says, "and I know I'm speaking for Uiharu and Saten, but I don't think they'd mind. We're friends, friends help each other when times get hard. Holding this all to your chest has caused me to worry so much about you. I know you had reasons, but hiding such a thing caused me to worry so much over you. Don't do this again. I love you and have your back forever."

Mikoto takes the younger girl's hand in her own and squeezes it lightly. "I know. I really do. I know how dangerous this city is even without opening up this pandora's box. I am scared I will lose you, or Uiharu, or Saten... hell, even that loudmouth at school," she pauses, "I just wish I could protect you from the darkness. I have seen bad things, I have done bad things, and I don't want to dirty you all with my... crimes."

"Crimes? They're killing innocent clones of you, children really. They've taken your genome and built something monstrous. How could you possibly stand by and do nothing?" Kuroko counters. "If you stood aside and let them build this monster, that would be a crime."

"But... I'm the cause of the fires and problems at all those research labs, I've burnt down buildings, fried computers, stolen data, broken into so many buildings. My hands are not clean any longer!" Mikoto's voice raises then lowers as she speaks, "how can I touch you with these dirty hands?"

"Oh, I have many, many ideas for that!" Kuroko says grinning, "You can start at the top and work your way... slowly... down...." Her lips brush against Mikoto's ear. "Even if they become stained with blood, I want nothing more than your fingers on my skin."

"Kuroko!" Mikoto says shocked. "Don't even tease... I... don't want to hurt anyone. I just want... I want to save them. All of them. All my sisters."

"So, tell me what you've been doing, what you want to do and how we can help?" Kuroko says. "Then, well, we can pick up from earlier. You were about to push me down," she smiles, "and then we were going to do such naughty things."

"I... wasn't," Mikoto starts.

"Oh, you are so in denial Mikoto-chan," Kuroko says, "I know you wanted to do more than simply kiss. And Onee-sama, I don't mind as long as it's you. Actually, if you wanted to, I don't mind if you played with me right here and now."

"Haven't you been listening? There are much bigger things happening than what I want to do with you in bed," Mikoto says, "We need to...."

"So you admit you want to do things to me in bed?" Kuroko teases.

"Yes, no... I don't know. I... like you. I love you even. I just don't know about those things." Mikoto says, "it's so confusing."

"It's okay, Onee-sama, despite everything I'd teased you with, I don't know what to do... exactly," Kuroko admits, "but I want to find out. Together. Tonight even." Her hand runs over Mikoto's thigh, reaching dangerously high. "And this is just as important as all these papers. I love you and it is the most important thing in the world. I'm serious about you. Are you serious about me?"

"Of course I am. But..." Mikoto says, "is this alright? Is it okay for me to feel like this? To be so happy when such... tragedy is happening."

"That's all the more reason to cherish what you have," Kuroko spoke, "when things are hard, love keeps you going. I want to be there for you, to support you, to be your shoulder to cry on and the one you hold in the dark. I want to be your light."

"Well, let's look at the darkness then," Mikoto said pulling out a map. "This is Academy City, of course," she pointed out the boundaries of the city, "This was a pharmaceutical plant. I fried the computers here. The next night, I went over here to this artificial limb manufacturer and started a fire in the assembly line. Two days later, I broke into this neural research center and hacked their computers. It was surprisingly easy. Three days from then, I was in this plant when I was attacked by a squad of espers who tried to kill me. They nearly did."

"I think I remember that night, I stitched up some wounds and rubbed salve on your wounds," Kuroko said with a sigh, "I wish you had let me kiss them and made them better."

"Yeah, the scrapes were from the mad bomber girl. She was tough, I barely escaped from her without hurting her very badly. The burns were from that bitch Mugino," Mikoto curses uncharacteristically. "She... well... she's very dangerous. If you ever see her, run away. Don't stop. Don't look back, just teleport as far away as fast as you can. Promise me this, never try to fight her Kuroko. It isn't worth dying over. And she will kill you without hesitating."

"Well, I have certain advantages there," Kuroko says with a grin, "but know this... I will not leave you behind. Ever. If we're going to die, we will die together. Promise me this, if you ever face an enemy that you fear you cannot defeat, I will be at your side. Together. Forever. Dark or light. My life is tied to yours, Mikoto."

"I don't plan on dying. And I will not let you die on my watch. I know I can't always protect you, but I want to. I don't want us to go down into this darkness , but we didn't start this war," Mikoto says. "So, I've continued as you can see, I'm trying to hit each one of these facilities in a way that seems random, I'm not sure if I'm succeeding, what has Judgment said?"

"To be honest, not much. We have been investigating the attacks as if they were from a terrorist cell. A large one. Honestly, you did all this by yourself?" Kuroko says. "I knew you were up to something, but this? Onee-sama is so amazing! I want you even more."

"I was honestly afraid you... well, I thought you'd choose them over me," Mikoto says, "I thought we'd be enemies. It was one of my deepest fears."

"Even if the entire world were against you, my love, I'd be on your side," Kuroko says, "never doubt that. My love for you is more powerful than the strongest esper. But we didn't think it was done by a single esper, we thought there must be a team or something. And, well, our investigations showed signs of multiple powers...."

"I guess I should really than Mugino for that, at least," Mikoto says, "I was afraid that she'd report me, and, to be honest, I'm shocked she didn't."

"Well, from what you have said, I don't think she's happy you eluded her," Kuroko says, "she sounds proud. And losing to you would shake that and, based on my experience, she's probably gunning for a rematch. I know when I lose... I want to fight again. I think I understand her."

Mikoto thinks back on her encounters with Touma and sighs. "I do as well. I've been wasting my time trying to win against that boy for so long, I don't even know why... I just can't stand the thought of him winning."

"So, I can see how my power can help you with your current activities, but... you've been doing this for weeks and it doesn't seem to be stopping, is it?" Kuroko asks. "I get the feeling that... despite all your work, you're feeling frustrated and asked me to help you cause you ran out of ideas. You've gotten an idea of the scope of the problem, but... have ran into a dead end. And, the biggest problem, you haven't found your sisters."

"No, and that is what is driving me insane.... where do you hide ten thousand girls who look just like me? None of the labs I went to could hold more than say, fifty, at a time. And none of them were really set up for even that! I know they're out there, I feel them in the back of my mind," Mikoto says, "it's like a dull buzz that is always there, always reaching out to me but never connecting. It sort of tickles. But I can't find them."

"Well, Onee-sama, I'm not the one to really help you there but we know who can," Kuroko admits, "This is Uiharu's specialty and I know you know that. But, do we really want to get her involved?"

"How can we not? I'm at my wit's end, I don't know where to go next and I need help. It hurts to ask for this and it scares the hell out of me to even think about getting the others involved," Mikoto says, "I think I'm going to ask _him_ as well."

"Aa, Onee-sama, do you really think that's wise?" Kuroko says, "This isn't just my jealousy talking, but what can that boy do?"

"I don't know. I just feel like... we're going to need him," Mikoto says with a sigh, "as much as I hate to admit it, he might just be the one person who stands a chance against that monster."


End file.
